A Rose Between Two Thorns
by tromana
Summary: Sometimes, it's easy to get used to having your heart broken by your best friends. Or, five times Liv and Grace broke Mini's heart. Written for the five times bang on livejournal.


**A/N: **So, I had this idea for a while, but only just got the chance to write it as part of the five times bang on livejournal. Hope you like it; still not entirely comfortable writing for Skins, but hey.

x tromana

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><p><strong>Title:<strong> A Rose Between Two Thorns  
><strong>Author:<strong> **tromana  
><strong>**Characters/Pairings:** Mini, Liv, Grace  
><strong>Summary:<strong> Sometimes, it's easy to get used to having your heart broken by your best friends.  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> Language, that's about it really. Set before Series 5.  
><strong>Notes: <strong>Written for the five times bitty bang. Thanks to Miss Peg for betaing and aphrodite_mine for the accompanying banner.

**A Rose Between Two Thorns**

i

It was sunny outside.

That alone was making Mini feel a lot better.

She was nervous about going back to school. What seven year old wouldn't be? She had been off for two whole weeks, thanks to a nasty bout of chicken pox which had just refused point blank to clear up. Her mum had got so pissed off with having her around at home, demanding love and affection, that by the end of it, they were both glad to see the back of one another.

And besides, she had been missing her friends terribly so. Liv and Grace were the first two girls she had met in school, after moving to Bristol from Edinburgh. Unlike the other kids, they hadn't made fun of her accent. Instead, they had found it cool and interesting. For days, they had pretended they were back there, looking for Nessie in Loch Ness. It was the only Scottish thing the two had really known and understood, but it had been enough to break the ice. They had been inseparable ever since.

It was great seeing them back in the playground. For a good fifteen minutes or so, the three giggled and gossiped and played. All too soon, the bell rang and they were forced to go into the classroom. That signified they were about to be forced to endure schoolwork and Miss Matthews droning on about _boring_ things like maths and reading. All the while, Mini found herself staring out of the window, at the bright sun, just wishing that she and her best friends could go out there and play some more.

That was until her teacher mentioned something which dragged her rudely away from her reverie.

Projects.

When the _fuck_ did they start doing projects?

(Mini always liked thinking about the word fuck. It amused her. _Liv_ taught her it. Though she didn't really know what it meant, she knew it was a naughty word.)

She watched carefully as Liv and Grace dragged out folders from their drawers, grinning at one another. The rest of class had sat down in pairs, huddling down to talk to one another in hushed breaths. Automatically, she sidled up beside them. They'd tell her what she was meant to be doing. Mini knew she could rely on them; she had always been able to do so in the past.

"Oh no," Grace breathed when Mini sat down beside them. "You're not allowed to work with us."

"Why not?" she asked. They had always been able to do so in the past.

"Yeah, you're working with Kimberley. Miss Matthews said so."

Mini glanced over at Kimberley, who was giving her a dirty grin. She had never liked the girl; she had been one of the ones to tease her about her funny voice and her fat legs. And now, she was expected to work with her on what? And for how long?

As she reluctantly went to join the nasty girl, she felt as though her heart was breaking in two. How was she going to cope with this?

It was like they had stabbed her in the back.

ii

They'd looked around different schools in the area together.

It seemed scary, the idea of leaving primary school and making the big leap into secondary. It was cool that they would get to do more interesting classes like music and drama and art and the like, but at the same time, it was so much bigger. Mini suspected that it was going to be like being a baby goldfish in a giant lake.

Mini had grown used to being the centre of attention at primary school. Once the other kids (excepting Kimberley, maybe) had realised that despite her accent, she wasn't really all that different, it had been cool. She had got along with everyone, and they liked her too, which made her feel good.

It was going to be sad to leave it all behind, really.

There were schools she preferred the look of and Mini was grateful that her mum was letting her have the final say on where she went. She'd heard nightmare stories of parents demanding that their kids went to one school or another based on what subjects that school did best or what the GCSE grades were like.

Really, Mini didn't care about all that. She wanted, needed, to know that she liked the feel of the place. That she would fit in eventually. It had taken long enough for her to settle down into her primary school, after all. And that was one decision which she'd had no say in whatsoever. In fact, she hadn't initially wanted to move to Bristol at all. Her mum had just chosen to on a whim, to get away from her latest ex-boyfriend.

Now, she's glad that they took the plunge. She wouldn't have known Grace and Liv, otherwise. And they were the best friends a girl could wish for, even if they did sometimes accidentally do bitchy things to her. But that was to be expected; sometimes girls just had to do things like that. They never meant it, not really.

Somehow, she had managed to persuade the girls to look around all the schools with her. Liv had been almost as excited as she had been, talking about all the fit boys that were in year eleven and how cool it'd be to finally start learning French and stuff. Grace, however, was quieter, more subdued, which was surprising in itself. After all, Gracie was really into the whole school thing. She loved lessons more than playtime, which was saying something.

Not that they did all that much playing these days. Liv insisted they were much too old for it now.

Still. She had expected Grace to start dissecting the curriculum of each school they went to, to discuss the pros and cons of going to a science specialist school and crap like that. Instead, she'd barely said two words. Which was worrying, as Mini had no intention of going to any school without her best mates.

When she found out that Grace's parents had already decided she was going to Mayberry's College for Young Ladies, she was devastated.

But not quite as much as when her mum said she couldn't afford to go too.

iii

Craig Holden was hot. There was no two ways about it. He was by far and away the most gorgeous boy in year nine.

And naturally, he was Mini McGuinness' first crush.

Most other girls picked out celebrities from magazines and the like, but not Mini. Why bother having the hots for somebody in whatever boy band when it was blindingly obvious you wouldn't have a chance in hell with them? Besides, they were too old and usually had girlfriends anyway. Girlfriends who could always afford designer clothing instead of making do with Topshop and H&M. Girlfriends who got the best makeup and best perfume instead of raiding their mother's dressing table for goodies.

But boys their own age? In their own school? They didn't care about such things. And there was more of a chance to actually talk to them, rather than just admire them from afar.

Not that she didn't do her fair share of that either.

Liv would sometimes join her, lounging by the football pitch, if the weather was nice enough. They'd feign interest in whatever the other was saying, when in reality, they both had their eyes firmly on the pitch. Mini was quickly growing an appreciation for football. Not because of the sport itself, but because the men always had to wear shorts to play it. There was nothing like a bit of free eye candy. Especially as nobody could stop them from watching; it was a free country, after all. If anything, they actively encouraged it because they liked having the support from the sidelines.

However, Liv's interest in the game waned pretty quickly. In a way, Mini was disappointed. Though they didn't talk much, she had appreciated having the company. Despite the fact some of the guys waved at her whilst playing, especially if they did something good, none of them actually dared to talk about her. It was lonely, just watching without any company. Sometimes, she questioned why she did it. Until she saw Craig emerge from the boy's changing rooms, of course and then her faith in the beautiful game was restored.

As far as she was concerned, Craig was the best player on the pitch. She may have been a little biased in her opinion (it was him, after all), but she didn't care.

When he stopped playing, shortly after Liv had stopped watching, Mini was bitterly disappointed. Out of routine, she continued her lonely vigil at the football pitch, partially because she had nothing better to do, but mostly in the vain hope that he would one day turn up again. That he had just pulled a muscle or something was just taking some much needed time out to rest and recuperate.

That was her theory, at least, until she saw Craig and Liv leaving the school holding hands. Not only that, but once they reached the gates, they shared a kiss. It was only a chaste peck on the lips, but it didn't matter. Mini, naturally, saw red.

Liv had known just how much she liked Craig, she had confided in her (and Grace, over the phone and in countless letters) enough times about the subject.

And despite all that, she was dating him. The bitch.

iv

She'd tried going clubbing once before.

It didn't matter that she was just fifteen (she turned sixteen soon, anyway), she felt ready. After the whole Craig debacle, she was ready to meet more men, older men. The boys at school were all too immature and stupid anyway. Mini was more than happy to leave them to Liv. They were nothing special, they didn't interest her. Not anymore.

Besides, they would be leaving them all behind soon anyway. There was no point in getting attached to any of them when Roundview College beckoned them come September. And even better news was that Grace had already informed them that she would be joining them there too.

In all honesty, Mini didn't hold out too much hope for the men there either. Yeah, she expected that the sportsmen would be fitter, especially the football and rugby players, but other than that she wasn't so sure.

Really, she wanted somebody with a bit of maturity behind them, some life experience. Someone who wasn't going to pop out dick jokes every five seconds or so, like most the boys she knew at school. And the most obvious place she considered to meet them was in clubs. There, they weren't too old, but equally they wouldn't be too young either.

However, she had been turned down because she didn't have any proof of age.

The people at school had been lying when they said that the lack of ID wouldn't be a fucking problem.

She sat on College Green, along with Liv. In reality, they were meant to be revising for their GCSEs, but having just sat English Literature, neither of them were particularly in the mood to study some more.

Instead, Liv was puffing away on some kind of roll up cigarette. Mini dreaded to imagine what was in it, but didn't bother asking. It was Liv's choice if she wanted to kill her lungs with cigarette smoke. Everyone knew they caused cancer.

"Want some?"

Mini shook her head.

"Go on, don't be a pussy."

"No thanks," Mini answered before continuing. "I was thinking about trying to go to Oceana again."

"Oh there?" Liv replied, only mildly interested. "It's not that great."

"It isn't?"

"Nah, me and Gracie went there last weekend."

"You did?"

"Yeah, you were busy doing something with your mum, I think."

Mini frowned. She had been busy; her granddad had come to visit and they had gone out for a family meal, but that wasn't the problem. Instead, she was too busy stewing about the fact that they hadn't even bothered to ask her if she would like to join them. They'd just assumed that she wouldn't be able to get away after.

"Give us a bit," she said eventually, holding out her hand.

Liv shrugged and handed over the half-smoked cigarette. Mini regarded it briefly. She didn't like the idea of smoking much, but she had to do something to make her feel that little bit mature. The fact that the other two had got into Oceana without her made her feel like she was being left behind.

And that would never do.

v

She was beyond angry.

Liv and Grace were ignoring her. As if they hadn't caused her enough grief of late, what with the whole disappearing off to Oceana without her thing. She'd forgiven them, of course she had; they were her best friends and friends stuck together. However, it was the summer holidays now. Their exams were over and they were even longer than usual. Mini had been looking forward to a fun-filled two months with them and they were letting her down.

Every time she called them, they were busy doing something else. They ignored her text messages and her e-mails. If she saw them, then they made lame excuses about having something else to do or somewhere else to be. Each time they promised that they could catch up soon, when whatever was over, and that they really missed her.

But Mini was getting sick of the excuses. She was getting sick of the lies. It was clear they were lying. Well, it was obvious Grace was. That girl always made it blindingly obvious whenever she was hiding something or other. However, it never stopped her from trying, bless her.

Except it was more annoying now, than anything else. They were meant to be celebrating being reunited at school soon. They were meant to be having the time of their lives before the hard work really started.

Mini made do with venting her feelings out at Nick. She had always vaguely known him; he lived in the same neighbourhood as she did. And as he'd grown, she had to admit he grew hotter and hotter. So, when he had ran up to her after a rugby match and suggested they go out for a drink, there was no way she was going to say no. Okay, so he wasn't as old, as witty or as mature as she'd have liked, but at least he was drop dead gorgeous. And even she had to admit that they would easily be the most beautiful couple at Roundview come September.

He didn't really appreciate her frustrations, however. For some reason, she suspected that he hadn't really shared a deep and meaningful friendship with somebody for such a long period of time.

Instead, as he downed beer after beer, she made do with sipping at her vodka and coke and picking at the threads on the hem of her skirt.

Fuck them, fuck them all. She'd show them that she didn't need them. That she didn't care about how much they were hurting her with their ignorance.

Her mobile phone bleeped cheerily and she scowled when she realised it was Liv.

It only said four words: _my place, bring Nick_.

Rolling her eyes, she decided that she might as well humour them. After all, it was the first time in what felt like forever that they had actually bothered to try and make contact with her instead of avoiding her. She had to give Olivia Malone the chance to actually explain herself.

When she arrived and all their school mates jumped out of hiding, screaming 'surprise!' she nearly fainted with shock.

She never once considered that they were using their time to throw her a surprise birthday party.


End file.
